For the past eight years, Goodwin Procter's New York office has participated in the New York Cares Winter Wishes Program.
The Winter Wishes program helps fulfill the holiday wishes of more than 31,000 disadvantaged New Yorkers. Through the program, children, teens, and families from various schools, programs, hospitals and other centers in New York City write letters to New York Cares, requesting a special gift for the holiday season. For many children and teens, the gifts received through the New York Cares program are the only gifts that are received over the holidays. Individuals or groups can sign up for the program and agree to become a secret Santa to a child in need.
Each year, Jacqueline Klosek and Ana Marte organize the New York office's efforts. We usually have a huge turn-out and participation has been increasing steadily each year. This year, our New York office was able to provide gifts for over 80 children enrolled in a program at the Citizens Advice Bureau in the Bronx.
Goodwin employees really enjoy the event. Each year, participants eagerly await the arrival of the children's letters so that they may sort through and identify the one(s) to which they wish to respond. They then spend time selecting the perfect gift, wrapping it and writing a letter to the child from Santa.
"Being able to give a child some happiness during the holiday season is a gift, not only to the child, but also to the giver," says Ana Marte. She continues, by quoting Winston Churchill, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."